Buffered memory controls electrical current to and from memory chips, increasing stability but slowing down speed. A hardware register sits between the computer and memory chips, maximizing data handling while preventing overload. Buffered memory is used in servers for data processing, not personal computers. “Buffered memory” and “registered memory” are interchangeable terms, while “fully buffered memory” buffers all data. “Buffer memory” should not be confused with cache memory.
Buffered memory is a type of computer memory. It is designed to control the amount of electrical current flowing to and from memory chips at any one time. This makes the memory more stable, but increases the cost and slows down the speed at which it works.
In a buffered memory system, a hardware register sits between the part of the computer that controls the memory and the memory chips themselves. This is a device that can hold a certain amount of information at once. The registry will fill up completely and then transmit all of this information at once.
Using a hardware register means that the computer can much more reliably control the amount of data being transferred to and from the memory chips at any one time. The reason for doing this is that this also checks how much electric current has passed to and from the chips. This maximizes the amount of data your computer can handle at one time without running the risk of overloading the memory chips with current and causing a lag or damaging the chips.
The downside to this system is that there is a delay as the log fills up with data. The delay is very short and on most PCs it will be one sixty-six millionth of a second. However, over time this adds up and makes a noticeable difference in performance.
Due to the loss of performance and the increase in hardware registry price for the system, buffered memory is not normally used in personal computers. Instead, it is more common in servers, especially those dedicated to data processing. In these applications, the advantages of reliability outweigh the disadvantages of cost and confusion.
Today, buffered memory is more commonly referred to as registered memory. The terms are usually interchangeable. However, you may also see the phrase “fully buffered memory”. This is slightly different as it involves every part of the data being buffered, whereas in standard buffered or registered memory, only certain parts are buffered.
Buffer memory should not be confused with buffer memory. This is a term sometimes used to refer to cache memory, such as a disk cache. This involves using part of a hard drive to store information that could be used repeatedly during a computing session, saving time that would otherwise be spent repeatedly accessing it from the original source. Strictly speaking, “buffer memory” should not be used to refer to cache memory, since “buffer” means a location where information is to be stored and accessed only once.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
